Teen Titans featuring Specter Book 1
by Ersher9
Summary: The story follows the trials and tribulations of Specter and Raven as their "Romeo & Juliet" like romance unfolds.
1. Specter

Chapter 1 Starts

It was a dark starless night in Jump City. A dark silluette moved silently and gracefully across the rooftops towards the Jump City Museum.

"You sure this is gonna work?" The dark figure said through a small headset.  
"Believe me, my young protégé; this is definitely going to work." Cracked a sinisterly familiar voice through the ear-piece.

The young man stopped in front of a lit billboard. He wore a black sleeveless hoodie, black baggy-fit cargo pants, and black boots. Underneath the hoodie he had on a black Under Armor turtleneck, the neck piece covering the bottom half of his face. His hair was in corn rolls, and wore a pair of black Oakley's with a band to keep them in place.

At the Titans Tower, the Titans were getting ready for the Friday Night Movie.

"C'mon B.B.! Hurry up with the snacks, we're about to start the movie!" Growled Cyborg.  
"Yes, please quicken pace friend, I too wish to watch the film." Beamed Starfire over the back of the couch.

Beast Boy had just reached the couch with humungous bowl of popcorn covered in tofu butter when the alarm began to sound.

"GAH!" Beast Boy cried as he fell backwards, the popcorn flying all over the place. "Aww man....."

The large screen changed to one of the camera's in the museum. On the screen was the young man in the Crystal and Priceless stones Exhibit stealing anything he can touch.

"Dude! Who is that?" Beast Boy said jumping up off the ground.  
"It's just some average street thug." Raven said in her usual drolling voice.  
"There haven't been any real villains for a few weeks now, only these wannabes that can't even beat B.B. in a fight." Cyborg says with a large grin.  
"Please let the local authorities handle him Robin." Starfire said with large puppy dog eyes.  
Robin looked at Starfire, then to the rest of the Titans, then back at the screen. "Okay, since it is our Movie Night, we'll watch him struggle against the police, but as soon as something out of the ordinary happens we leave."

Everyone began to cheer, well, everyone except Raven. The young man however, finished filling the small satchel with jewelry and the three elemental jewelry he was sent to steal. He tilted his head slightly. "The cops are here, I'm outty." The man did a back flip onto the nearest case, then he lunged toward one of the light fixtures, swinging on it he launched himself to the edge of the open skylight and was gone.

"Um....dude...." Beast Boy started.  
""Titans GO!" Robin cried.

Meanwhile, the thief was moving across the rooftops at top speed, knowing the Titans were now enroute to intercept him before he could escape back to Slade's hideout. As he dives onto the next rooftop a hawks flies past him.

"What the heck.......a hawk in the city?" The young man says slowing to a halt.

The hawk swooped down and transformed into a green boy. The thief was shocked for a moment, but recollected himself.

"Okay pal! You're going down!" Beast Boy said transforming into a polar bear and charges, swinging his claws at the thief.

The thief ducked and dodged Beast Boy's attacks, then back flips from the edge of the roof to the next.

"You must be Beast Boy, Specter. Sorry, but I don't have time to tame wild animals right now." Specter turned and took off across the roof leaving a dumbfounded polar bear behind.  
"What are you doing apprentice, I thought you wanted to face off with the Titans?" Cracked the sinister voice through the headset.  
"Listen Slade, I said I would leave a lasting impression on the Titans, I'm going to humiliate them by my own means, so shut up!" Specter said before taking the headset off and shoving it into the satchel.

As he neared a rooftop access door Cyborg burst through shouldering Specter into one of the outside vents.

"BOOYAH!" Cyborg yells.  
"What the hell was that?" Specter stood up regaining his composure. "Wow, I was tackled by a tin man." Specter said sarcastically.  
"The name's CYBORG!" He said charging.

Specter side-stepped Cyborg as he swung at him, Specter knocked Cyborg's feet out from under him, and pushed downward on his shoulder, causing him to rotate in mid-air, and momentum from charging carried him forward drilling into the vent.

"WHOA!" Cyborg yelled surprised.  
"Now I take my leave." Specter said as he headed for the edge of the building.

Cyborg pulled himself free and aimed his proton cannon at Specter and fired. Specter had launched himself into the air, the blue energy beam whizzing inches below him.

"HOLY COW!" Specter said wide-eyed.

He fell toward the next rooftop, he hit the roof and rolled forward absorbing the shock, then continued to run. He began making his way in, out, over, under, and around the beams of the large neon signs when he noticed the shadow of a female flying above him.

"Excuse me sir!" Starfire yelled lowering herself to eye-level. "Excuse me, but could you please return what you have stolen, I do not wish to harm you."  
"As tempting as that sounds, I must decline." Specter smirked. "And you may want to watch where you are going."  
"Huh?" Starfire looked up and ran smack into a billboard. "EEP!" Starfire screamed before falling to the ground.  
"Sorry! Should have warned you sooner!" Specter yelled over his shoulder as he jumped to the next rooftop.

Meanwhile, Beast boy and Cyborg had made it back to the T-Car and were in a heated discussion.

"Dude! I couldn't even touch him!" Beast boy whined waving his hands frantically. "I went all polar bear, and he was jumping and dodging and stuff, then he back flips to the next roof! It was like he planned it or something!"  
"Oh yeah?" Cyborg said driving. "He threw me into an air vent, then when I shot at him, I missed, I MISSED!"

They both stopped arguing when heard a shriek, then saw Starfire falling in the distance. Cyborg began to speed up.

"Yo Robin, this guy just took out Star!" Cyborg said to Robin over the communicator.  
Robin's head popped out of the communicator. "WHAT?! Is she ok, what happened, where is now?" Robin asked angrily.  
"I'm sure Starfire's fine, but as to where he is or what he did to Starfire we don't know."  
"I Found him." Raven said appearing on the communicator screens. "He won't get away."

Specter continued running across the rooftops until Raven had showed up, he slid to a halt as the giant bird shape silluette.

"This is as for as you go." Raven said as she step out of the silluette.

Specter grinned beneath his guise as he vaulted over her only to be stopped in mid-air by the empath. Raven slammed him against the wall.

"I said STOP!" Raven put a lot of emphasis on the word.  
"Looks like I have my hands full." Specter said dropping to one knee.  
"Azerath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven chanted.

Raven removed four of the vent cover from the roof and launched them at Specter. Specter stood up and ran toward Raven jumping over the first vent cover, rolling under the second, then diving between the last two tackling Raven and pinning her, ready to strike. He paused Raven's hood had come of. His eyes widened, his opponent was a girl and he almost hit her. There before his eyes very eyes was a goddess of pale gray skin, short purple hair, large bluish-purple eyes, topped off with a small red diamond in the center of her forehead. Raven took this moment as an opportunity to attack him. "Azerath Metrion Zinthos!" She ripped a pipe from nearby and hit him across the face with it, knocking him off of her. Specter stood up only to be hit in the back with a vent cover. Raven began to assault Specter over and over with pipe and vent covers over and over. He did his best to dodge and block, but wasn't successful. Specter reached into his pocket and pulled out something he threw at Raven as he dove backwards barely dodging the vents and the pipe. Raven stopped the object and was about to send it careening back when she noticed that it wasn't a weapon, but a crystallized black rose. Raven reached out and grabbed the rose, she spun it slowly between her fingers She was captivated, amazed by its mysterious beauty, before she realized it Specter had escaped. As Specter fell he grabbed the flagpole halfway down the side of the build, singing from it he did a flip landing on top of a parked van. In front of the van was clean Midnight Blue Yamaha. The owner of the motorcycle was just coming out of the pizza place across the street surrounded by a flock of girls as Specter hot-wired the motorcycle.

"Hey man! That's my bike!" The unlucky fellow.

Specter revved the engine and peeled out, a few feet down the street he executed a front wheelie and spun around, then sped back toward the pizza place. Specter came to a screeching halt in front of the ex-owner of the bike.

"Well, I'll be taking this beauty off your hands." Specter said snatching the black helmet from the ex-owner and taking off down the street.

Not soon after Specter departed from the pizza he realized he was being followed by someone on a red motorcycle and they were closing in fast.

"I don't know how you got past the others, but you won't get away from me so easily!" Robin yelled as he side-kicked at Specter.

Specter blocked the kick, and swung at Robin who block. Soon they were both standing on their motorcycles exchanging blow after blow. After a few minutes Robin pulled out his extendable staff and tried to jam Specter's front tire.

"Your crime spree ends here!" Robin growled.  
"Yeah, about that.......I don't think so!" Specter vaulted the motorcycle over Robin and lands on the opposite side of him, then pulls to a halt. "You want to watch where you are going!" Specter laughed pointing ahead.

Robin looked forward noticing a truck crossing ahead of him, he gave the handlebars a quick jerk to the left and slid underneath the trailer on the truck as it passed over him. As Robin stood up he saw Specter stand in front of the stolen motorcycle. Robin charged forward only to a bus zoom passed his face honking. Robin jumped back, when the bus had passed Specter was gone, it was if he had never been there at all. Meanwhile, Cyborg and Beast boy came down the street in the T-Car with Starfire flying above them.

"Hey, someone help me! Someone stole my motorcycle!" Said a young man running up to the window of the T-Car.  
Starfire landed next to the owner of the stolen motorcycle. "Um, excuse me sir, but who has stole your motorcycle? Starfire asked politely.  
"Come on Star, we don't have time to waste right now." Cyborg said urgently.  
"He was wearing a sleeveless hooded sweatshirt, that's all I know." The young man said ignoring Cyborg.  
"Dude! That's totally the guy we're after!" Beast boy said clambering over Cyborg toward the window.  
"Bad news Titans." Robin chimed in over the communicator, everyone knew what was coming next. "He....he got away." Robin was so aggravated. _How was it that a simple street thug could elude the Teen Titans so easily?_  
"Um, friends where is Raven?" Starfire asked.

Raven suddenly came out of the shadows in a nearby alley, as if answering Starfire's question. She was still holding the crystallized black rose in her hand, for some reason it intrigued her.

"Hey Ray whatcha' got there?" Cyborg asked.  
"Huh?" Raven hid the rose in her cloak. "Its nothing."  
Cyborg shrugged. "Well, we're all heading back to the Tower to form a new plan of attack Seems Robin's taken the escape pretty hard."

Meanwhile, Specter arrives at an abandoned chemical testing facility on the outskirts of the city, it now serves as a hideout for Slade, Specter's master, mentor, teacher, sensei, which ever you prefer to call him.

"So you've returned have you?" Slade's voice echoed throughout the building. they didn't follow you did they?"  
"Psssh, please it was nothing." Specter said tossing the satchel of jewels into the shadows.  
"Good work apprentice. Now explain to me why you are 15 minutes behind schedule, and why you did not dispose of that motorcycle?" Slade asked angrily as he came out of the shadows hold the satchel.  
"Ah c'mon!" Specter said throwing his hands in the air. "I should be able to steal something for myself once in awhile. And I guess I had some trouble with Titans on the way back, but at least you got your crap."  
Slade rushed forward and grabbed Specter by the throat, holding him inches from his face. "Listen to me, and listen well. You are my apprentice, you will do what I tell you to do, how I tell you to do it, when I tell you to do it! It that clear?"  
"Crystal." Specter growled.  
"Good." Slade breathed, letting go of Specter.  
"I have one question." Specter said rubbing his throat. "What do you know about the chick in the dark cloak?"  
"I see you've taken an interest in Raven, have you?" Slade smirked beneath his mask.  
"I figure I should know as much as I can about her if I ever plan on countering her attacks, otherwise I'm gonna end up getting my butt handed to me every time." Specter lied. _Raven huh? Beautiful name._  
"Here, these are copies of the files I have on the Titans, keep them. You may find them useful." Slade said as he turned and head into the shadows. _Seems I may have to keep a closer eye on my dear apprentice._  
"Thanks boss man, this is really generous of you." Specter said hopping on the motorcycle and sped out of the chemical plant. "I'll get rid of this thing right away!"

End Chapter 1


	2. Beautiful Raven

Chapter 2 Starts

Back at the Titans Tower, everyone listened as Robin gave them the info he could find on Specter. Of course raven was too busy messing with the crystallized black rose to pay any attention to a word Robin said.

"Ok, all I could find on this guy is that he's an up and coming villain. His moves are much like mine, which partly explains why he could escape from me so easily." Robin states. "It seems that while making his crime seems like an average theft he managed to swipe these." Robin said bring up a picture of three rather stunning antique looking pieces of jewelry.  
"Ooohhh, such pretty jewelry!" Starfire chimed, her eyes twinkling.  
"What's so special about those?" Cyborg asked non-chalauntly.  
"Dude! They probably cost mondo amounts of money!" Beast boy says in protest to Cyborg's question.  
"As I was saying, these specific pieces of jewelry are said to control the elements or possibly give their unique abilities that pertain to the elemental symbol on the gem." Robin continued.  
_Who is that guy? And how did he get these roses like this?_ Raven thought as she looked at the crystallized black rose.  
"Uh, Raven? Have you heard what I've been saying?" Robin asked as he noticed Raven was currently preoccupied by the rose.  
"Huh, oh, sorry Robin." Raven said snapping back to reality. There was something that intrigued her about the rose and Specter. "I've been out of it, I exhausted myself fighting that guy." Raven lied. "I'm going to go meditate for awhile. Do NOT disturb me." Raven added seriously, looking mainly at Beast boy.

Raven went to her room, locking the door behind her. She sat on her bed cross-legged and began to meditate. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos....." She softly chanted over and over. raven began floating above her bed, she opened her eyes, they were glowing black. She covered herself in the raven silluette and took off out the window. in search of Specter, to prove to herself that she wasn't losing her edge as a hardened crime fighter. Specter was riding toward the inner city area, he drove off a bridge and into the concrete waterway below, he continued riding until he came to a large sewer pipe, he vaulted into the pipe and headed into the darkness. He came to a large dome like structure a few miles into the sewer system. Inside the dome was a large black rose garden, in the center was a series of computer screens and a workbench with all sorts of gadgets and tools. Specter parked the motorcycle next to the workbench, then head back down the sewer till he came to a ladder, he climbed out into an alley way behind a rundown water treatment facility near the docks. Specter headed back into the city through the back alleys. Raven flew through the sky as she continued her search, when she finally spotted Specter behind a video store.

"Stop right there." Raven's voice echoed through the alley.  
"Huh?" Specter spun around in time to see Raven stepping out of the shadows. "Perfect."  
"You are going down." Raven said as her eyes began to glow. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" She tossed trash cans at Specter.

Specter jumped over one and was hit by the second while in the air. He hit the ground and rolled back onto his feet, he charged Raven dodging the trash cans. He finally reached her, he grabbed her hands and pinned her to the wall.

"Rrrrgggh! Let me go!" Raven growled.  
"No, if I do you'll just continue to attack me with garbage." Specter said.  
"I said let me GO!" Raven's rage and hatred began to rise forward.  
"You know for someone so beautiful, you sure are angry." Specter said shaking his head.  
"What?" Raven was shocked and surprised. "Me? You're joking...." Raven said looking away.

Specter let her go and backed up, he sat down on one of the overturned trash cans. Raven crossed her legs floating in mid-air.

"No, I'm not, you eyes were red and everything, you sounded all demonic like." Specter said.  
"Not that, I mean about me being..." Raven blushed a little. "You know....beautiful."  
"Of course you are, I mean look at you I'm sure you've got men dying to go out with you." Specter said putting his chin in his hands.  
"No, not exactly." Raven said. "I'm considered a freak, I can't show any emotion otherwise my powers go haywire."  
"Maybe, you just need to learn to live with you emotions." Specter said.  
"I've tried thousands of times." Raven shook her head. "Wait! Why am I telling you this? Your a criminal!"  
"Touché." Specter said standing up. "But you have to admit I am a great listener."  
"Yeah, whatever." Raven said getting ready to fight.  
"Hey aren't those your friends?" Specter said pointing out of the alley into the street.

Raven spun around, there was nothing there. When she turned back around he was gone and in front of her were three crystallized black roses. She picked them up and looked around before taking off back toward the Tower.

"Beautiful huh?" Raven said softly.

As Raven left a Slade-bot crawled out of the shadows on a brick wall, its eye zoomed in and out. Back at Slade's hideout, Slade sat in a large chair looking at his monitors, one of which had Specter and Raven on it.

"Interesting." Slade said leaning on his elbow. "Interesting indeed."

Specter made it back to the abandoned Chemical Plant, he was whistling happily, until Slade came flying out of the shadows. Specter was quick, he began block most of Slade's attacks as soon as Slade reached him.

"So apprentice, anything interesting happen while you were out?" Slade said executing a roundhouse kick.  
"No, not really." Specter replied ducking underneath the attack.  
"You wouldn't keep any secrets from me either would you?" Slade elbowed Specter in the chest sending him sliding back a few feet.  
"Even if I did, you'd already know about it." Specter said now having Slade on the defensive.  
"Touché, touché." Slade said backing into the shadows. "You are improving."

Raven returned to her room in the Titans' Tower. She walked over to her full length mirror. She looked herself over, turning to the left, ten to the right. She saw the crystallized black rose's sparkling reflection on her dresser, she pulled out the one she received in the alley and put it in her hair. She gave small smile. Back at the Chemical Plant Specter was laying on his bed hold Raven's picture from her file above him. He couldn't get her out of his head.

_I have to see her again tomorrow night._ Specter thought to himself.

Slade on the hand had called in a few 'friends'. "jinx, Mammoth, Gizmo. I want the three of you to keep an eye on my apprentice, I believe he and Titans are conspiring against me."  
"Really?" Mammoth said. "What makes you so sure?"  
"Shut up you!" jinx said hitting Mammoth. "As you wish Slade."  
"Yeah, we'll make sure that scuzbucket knows who's boss!" Gizmo said flying above Mammoth and jinx.

End Chapter 2


	3. Enter the HIVE

Chapter 3 Starts

That morning while the Titans were go through their normal routines, training, playing videogames, reading, cooking up extra-terrestrial cuisine, upgrade security systems, you know the same stuff every morning; Raven had a strange feeling, she passed it off as her just still being tired. Suddenly the alarm went off, and the Titans jumped into action. Downtown Specter, jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth were trashing a lab.

"Grab the equipment and lets go!" Specter ordered.  
"Hey, snot-for-brains, we don't gotta listen to you!" Gizmo said snidely.  
"Come on you Gizmo, we don't have time for this." jinx said as Specter helped her through the hole in the ceiling.  
"Alright, that's the last of it." Mammoth said carrying a huge machine.  
"That's as far as you go!" Shouted Robin from a nearby rooftop.  
"Snot buckets! We're surrounded!" Gizmo cried.  
"Titans, GO!" Robin yelled jumping off the roof.

All the Titans charged in, and the fight began. Specter was going one on one with Robin, jinx and Starfire were fighting one another, Beast boy and Mammoth were going muscle to muscle, while Gizmo and Cyborg exchanged hi-tech blows. Raven stood watching Specter fight against Robin, it was like it was in slow-motion for her. Even the way he moved seemed to intrigue her. Specter grabbed Robin and fell backwards tossing him into Starfire, who in turn shot a star bolt at Cyborg who stumbled backwards and fired his proton canon at Beast boy. Beast boy changed into a frog and barely dodged the beam.

"Let's get out of here!" jinx said loudly.

Specter followed them as they escaped, he turned and faced Raven quickly pointing at the clock tower of the city library, then held up 8 fingers, then took off after jinx, Mammoth, and Gizmo, as they all headed back to Slade's hideout with the lab equipment.

"That was too easy!" Mammoth said laughing.  
"Yeah, did you see the look on the scuz-buckets faces?" Gizmo chortled.  
"Man, that was fun!" jinx said with a smile. "You know Specter, you should join us, you'll still be able to work for Slade, but you'll be able to come and go as you please."  
"Now don't get the wrong idea." Specter said walking forward and stand inches from jinx. "Sure, working with someone as pretty as you has its perks, but there are consequences that go along with it." Specter moved past her. "Plus, the things I'm learning from Slade, will help me become better than the 3 of you combined. Sorry, but my loyalties lie with Slade and no one else."

jinx blushed as Specter call her pretty, he so close to her, if it had been anyone else they would have been laid out flat on the floor. Specter was smooth, too smooth for his own good. Specter lead them into the room Slade wanted the equipment set up, and started put the equipment back together. After a couple hours they had finished setting everything up.

"Perfect you all may leave now." Slade said entering the room.

Specter held the door as the others left, he looked at his watch, 7:30. He had 30 minutes to get across town to the clock tower on foot. As jinx, Gizmo, and Mammoth were busy talking as they left the hideout Specter quickly ran an open sewer grate, but jinx was secret watching him. Once inside the sewer he took off for the main pipe to the city. jinx motioned to the grate, the other followed her in after Specter, who had no idea he was being followed. Raven stood at that the top of the old dust clock tower waiting.

_What am I doing? I shouldn't be here, he's a villain._ Raven thought to herself. _And yet, I want to see him, I want to be with him. Why? I never felt like this..._

Specter climbed out of the sewer just behind the library and proceeded to climb the ladder on the back wall, once on the roof he ran inside the clock tower.

"Raven?" He called out her name.  
"Specter?" She turned, the moonlight shining through the clock face upon her, she was so beautiful. "Specter!" She said happily. _What is going on, I'm showing emotion yet my powers are destroying anything? Could this be the real thing?_

Specter climbed the stairs as fast as possible, when he reached Raven he gave her a hug, she hugged him in return. She looked him in the eye, and he nodded. As jinx and the other entered the clock tower Raven had just used her powers and teleported them down to the street.

"Come on, lets have some fun." Specter grabbed her hand and ran down the street.  
"I have a better idea." Raven smiled as she lifted off the ground she began flying, holding Specter's hand.  
"Over there!" He pointed to a cruise ship in the harbor.  
"Huh?" Raven looked down at him. "What for?"  
"Well, we're on a date aren't we?" Specter said. "So I figured we'd get something to eat."  
"Sure, why not." Raven smiled. "Sounds good."

Raven lowered them onto the deck of the cruise ship, they headed over to one of the tables.

A waiter come over. "Hello, what can I get you two?"  
"I'll just have some herbal tea." Raven said.  
"Make that 2 herbal teas and 2 salads." Specter said. "I'm guessing you aren't very hungry."  
"Be back in a moment." The waiter bowed then left.  
"Care to dance, while we wait?" Specter asked standing up.  
"Um......okay." Raven took his hand and was lead to any open area.

They danced for what seemed like an eternity to Rave, but she didn't care, she was happy, but it didn't last long. Soon the party crashers showed up.

"Blegh! Look at him!" Gizmo cried. "Getting all mushy with that freak of a Teen Titan!"  
"Well, now we know he's lost his edge!" Mammoth grinned.  
"Well, you heard what Slade said, time to teach him a lesson." jinx smirked.  
"Guess I had a few shadows following me." Specter laughed. "Don't worry, we can handle them."

Mammoth charged shouldering Specter into a table, Gizmo flew in firing mini-missiles at him. jinx and Raven exchange attacks and insults.

"I don't know why he chose a gothic chic like you when he could have me!" jinx roared.  
"Who would want someone who dresses like a reject Halloween ragdoll?" Raven retorted.  
"He told me I was pretty!" jinx said tackling Raven.  
"Hah! He said I was beautiful!" Raven screamed.

Mammoth, Gizmo, and Specter cringed in the corner as they witnessed the cat fight go out of control. The sound of clawing and screaming filled their ears. Specter shook his head regaining his composure. He grabbed Gizmo by the feet as he tried to fly away, Specter spun around then let go of Gizmo, who flew smack into Mammoth and knocked them overboard. jinx turned her head to see what was going on, Raven used her powers and hit jinx with a table, knocking her overboard as well. Specter walked over to Raven and grabbed her hand, Raven took off into the air, they flew around the city for awhile before returning to the clock tower.

"I had fun tonight, thank you." Raven said setting Specter down. "Well, goodnight Specter."  
"Wait." Specter said grabbing Raven's hand, he pulled her toward him and kissed her.

Raven was taken by surprise, yet she wanted to stay like this forever. He pulled away, before she could open her eyes he was gone. She look down, and in front of her was another crystallized black rose. Raven turned to leave, and found Slade standing there.

"Hello Raven." He said before hitting her in the gut, causing Raven to pass out.

End Chapter 3


	4. The Set Up

Chapter 4 Starts

_**Dear Titans, **__**I have been following and watching our little friend Specter, it seems I've stumbled on something big near the docks, at warehouse 13 and....Oh no! I've been spotted! Hurry and get.......BZZZZTTTT!!!**_

The transmission ended, the Titans looked at each other, of course they had no idea that it was fake, synthesized by Slade.

"Titans lets move!" Robin said.

Specter showed up to the same warehouse the Titans were headed to. He had received a message from Slade, and was told to be there.

"Slade?" Specter called as he walked into the dimly lit warehouse.  
"You, know, I hate it when my apprentices turn against me." Slade's voice echoed though the warehouse.  
"What are you talking about?" Specter asked confused.  
"This." Slade came out of the shadows followed by two Slade-bot holding an unconscious Raven in their clutches.  
"Raven!" Specter cried. "What have you done to her?!"  
"I haven't done anything." Slade said. "It is you that has done something to her, you are the one who stole her heart, you are the one who has gained her trust."  
"You're right, but she's stolen my heart as well." Specter said, then he charged Slade. "Now unhand my girl!"

Specter and Slade began exchanging blow for blow, but Slade was the one on the winning streak, Specter was having trouble defending himself.

"You can't win! I taught you everything you know!" Slade laughed.  
"Heh! Not everything, looks like I have to back to streets on you." Specter said.

Specter began doing a bunch of unorthodox maneuvers, now he had Slade on the defensive for a minute. Slade kneed Specter in the stomach then elbowed him in the back, knocking him to the ground. Raven awoke to the sounds of the fight, she looked up in time to see Specter get knocked to the ground, Slade was about to axe kick Specter in the back of the head, but Raven used her powers to throw the Slade-bots that were holding her into Slade.

"Specter!" Raven ran over him. "Are you okay?"  
"Uhhh...." Specter smiled. "Yeah....I'm fine."  
"Thank goo....URK!" Raven was knocked a few feet away by Slade, he had hit her with a piece of pipe.  
"NO! RAVEN!" Specter cried.

Specter jumped up as Slade swung the pipe downward, missing Specter. Specter grabbed the pipe and elbowed Slade in the face, making him stumble into the shadows and disappear. Specter ran over to Raven, still holding the pipe. The Titans arrived seeing Specter standing over Raven holding the pipe.

"You bastard!" Beast boy cried changing into a tiger.  
"Get away from her!" Cyborg yelled aiming his proton cannon at Specter.  
"Wait its not-" Specter started, then dove out of the way as Cyborg fired at him.

Specter realized that he wasn't going to be able to explain things, soon he had his hands full defending himself against four Titans. Slade had already escaped and made it back to his hideout. Specter knew he was getting nowhere by battling the Titans, the main thing on his mind, was get to Slade and making him pay.

"Sorry, I'd love to stay and play, but I've gotta go." Specter said throwing a small black marble against the ground. It exploded creating a blinding flash. Specter ran outside the warehouse and jumped onto Robin's motorcycle. "I'll be borrowing this." He said taking off.

The Titans ran over to Raven, she slowly began to regain consciousness. Robin turned and headed for the door.

"Cyborg, Beast boy, lets go. We've gotta make him pay for what he did to Raven." Robin said, they agreed. "Starfire you stay here and take car of Raven." With that the boys left in pursuit of Specter.  
"What's going on?" Raven asked rubbing her head.  
"Our friends are going to chase after this Specter person, we saw him attack you." Starfire said.  
"No! That's not true, he's....." Raven paused for a moment. Then she explained everything to Starfire.  
"Oh friend Raven!" Starfire excited and surprised, that her friend was in love. "Come we must stop our friends!"

Raven and Starfire flew out of the warehouse and into the sky. In the distance they could see Specter on Robin's brid-cycle being chase by the others in the T-Car, Specter seemed to headed fro the abandoned Chemical Plant. Raven zipped toward off toward them followed by Starfire.

"Slade!" Specter cried running into the dimly lit hideout.  
"Hi-yak!" Slade dropped from the ceiling, Specter dove and rolled out of the way. "You dare come back here?" Slade said narrowing his eye at Specter.  
"Heh, I didn't come alone." Specter smirked beneath his mouth covering.

The boys got out of the T-Car and ran for the door when Raven landed in front of them.

"Guys wait!" Raven said. She then explained everything to them as well.  
"WHAT?!" They said surprised.  
"You mean to tell me, you and him are going out?!" Beast boy said in his high pitch whiny voice.  
"congrats, but I never thought that....oh well." Cyborg said. "Not my place to judge."  
"If what you say is true, the we need to get in there and help him out!" Robin said. "Titans, GO!"

The Titans rushed inside, the saw Specter and Slade fighting, then a bunch of Slade-bots began charging the Titans out of the shadows. It was mayhem. Robin join in on Specter and Slade's fight, they started kicking Slade's butt up and down the hideout. Specter and Robin both dropkicked Slade, he hit the control panel, his elbow pushed a small red button. An alarm began to go off and the building began shaking.

"What the hell?" Specter said looking around.  
"Goodbye Titans, and goodbye apprentice." Slade kicked them both over into some barrels, and knocked them over the railing onto the others.

Slade escaped once again. Robin stood up, and walked over to Starfire, he removed the barrel from on top of her and helped her up. Suddenly there were loud explosion.

"The place is gonna blow." Cyborg said as he threw barrels off of him and Beast boy.  
"Wait where's Raven?" Specter asked standing up, looked around and saw Raven's cloak underneath some barrels, and destroyed Slade-bots.

Specter ran over and began to frantically dig her out. Raven was okay, but she had been knocked out yet again. Specter picked her up.

"COME ON!" Robin said running down the hall. "The place is coming down!"

Everyone ran for the exit as everything crumbled in on itself. Specter brought up the rear carrying Raven. He looked up, the ceiling was started give way a lot faster, he looked down at Raven, he kissed her. Then he tossed her out of the door, just as the ceiling collapsed.

Raven opened her eyes as Specter kissed her, then she could feel herself being thrown, she then watched in horror as the building caved in on Specter.

"NO! SPECTER!" Raven got up and ran forward.  
"Raven stop!" Cyborg grabbed Raven's arm.  
"Let go!" She pulled away and ran over to the pile of rubble.

Raven began digging frantically, after about thirty minutes, Raven had cleared the are where Specter had been, but all she found was a blood-stained hood, and a pair of broken sunglasses. Suddenly it began to rain really hard.

"NOOOOO! SPECTEEEEERRRR!" Raven began to cry hysterically, and for the first time since she met Specter he powers went out of control, the rubble began lifting into the air and it began circling around Raven like a cyclone of rocks.

End Chapter 4


	5. Raven's Heart

Chapter 5 Starts

It's been a month since the disappearance of Specter, Raven had taken it so hard that she lost the will to fight crime, and her powers seem to be a whole lot weaker. She hasn't gotten over the fact that Specter is gone. Raven sat in her room holding one of the crystallized black roses in her hand, tears silently streaming down her face. She dropped the flower and headed for the roof. Raven looked out over the city from the top of the Titans' Tower. Raven sighed heavily then took off into the air, she flew over to the alley behind the video store, this was the first place they had a decent conversation, and where he had told her she was beautiful. Raven took off into the air again and flew over to the clock tower on the library, this was where they had their first kiss. More tears seem to come forth from Raven's luminescent bluish-purple eyes. She took off again toward the harbor, the cruise ship was gone, but the memory of her and Specter dancing was still fresh in her mind. Raven sighed again, but this time decided to walk back to the Tower, she couldn't find the energy to continue flying around.

At Slade's new hideout he watched Raven on one of his many screens, he was very intrigued by her actions, he had no idea that the cause of this was that she thought Specter was dead.

"Poor child, wonder what happened?" Slade asked sarcastically. "It seems my former apprentice Specter has come to his senses, and dumped Raven."

At the HIVE Tower Jinx and the others were watching a movie when it cut off and Slade showed up on the screen.

"Slade?" Mammoth said shocked.  
"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Asked Jinx.  
"It seems one of the Titans' is experiencing power failure." Slade said showing a small clip of Raven in her current depressed state.  
"So what do you want us to do?" Gizmo grumbled.  
"Well, my small techno crazed friend, I would say this would be the perfect time to take out a Titan without any trouble." Slade said before cutting the conversation short.

Jinx looked at her team-mates; they all nodded then took off toward the center of the city to find Raven. Raven reached the park in the center of the city, it was slowly getting darker. Raven had been away from the T-tower the whole day, but she didn't care. Raven sat down on one of the benches near the small pond in the park. She sighed heavily before she started crying again.

"Oh Specter, I miss you so much....why'd you have to die..." Raven said sniffling.  
"Well hello little Raven." Jinx smirked.  
"Huh?" Raven looked up to see herself surrounded by Jinx, Mammoth and Gizmo.  
Mammoth charged forward destroying the bench as Raven dove out of the way. "What's wrong can't you fight back?"

Raven pulled out her communicator, but it was knocked from her hand and into the pond by Jinx. Raven turned toward them and began chanting.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" She lifted pieces of the bench, only to have them drop back to the ground.  
"Ha! Seems you've lost you powers, snot-for-brains!" Gizmo chortled.

Raven turned and ran away, she need to get a hold of her friends somehow. Jinx, Mammoth and Gizmo chased after attacking her at every turn. Raven was cornered, once again, at the opening of a darkened alley way. Gizmo fired his missiles knocking Raven backward. She braced herself ready to hit the ground, a dumpster, or a bunch of trash cans; but instead she hit something soft yet firm, and warm.

"Are you okay?" Came a familiar voice.  
"Hey, who's there?!" Mammoth growled.  
"You stay right here, I'll deal with these three." The voice told Raven.

The stranger charged forward, placing his palms right between his abs and his chest. Mammoth grinned as he raised his hand to knock the stranger to ground, only to be sent flying through the air with incredible force. Gizmo flew toward the stranger firing missiles, the stranger jumped into the air and tore Gizmo's pack from his back, he then pulled out a wire and tied Gizmo's hands and feet together. The stranger turned to head back into the alley way, ignoring Jinx completely.

"HEY! I'm here too you know." Jinx roared.  
"Sorry, but I don't fight girls." The stranger said, pissing Jinx off even more.

Jinx began firing her attacks him; the stranger dodged every one until he was inches from Jinx's face. Jinx froze her eyes wide with surprise, when the stranger turned and walked away Jinx went to attack again but couldn't because her thumbs were tied together, along with here wrists and pinkies. The stranger walked back over to Raven.

"Here, I got this from the pond earlier, I sent you friends a distress signal, they should be here soon." The stranger turned to walk away.  
"Wait! Who are you?" Raven asked.

A truck passed the darkened alley casting light on the stranger for just a moment, Raven's eyes widened as she gasped. When the light faded, the stranger was gone, but he left a crystallized black rose where he had been standing. The other Titan's arrived not second later.

"Raven are you okay?" Robin asked.  
"Y-yeah, I'm fine." Raven replied.  
"Man, these he must have taken a serious butt kicking." Cyborg said looking Mammoth laid out on the ground.  
"Dude! These two are already tied up." Beast boy laughed.  
"Raven, please tell me dear friend. Did you do this?" Starfire asked excitedly.  
"No she didn't do this to us, she couldn't even fight back." Growled Jinx as she was put into the back a police van.  
"She's right." Raven said.  
"Then who did?" Robin asked.  
"Specter." Raven said with soft smile as she held the crystallized black rose in her hand.

End Chapter 5


End file.
